Behind him, Huo Lun's jaw dropped, his face a mask of shock — not because he had recognized Yu Rumeng's identity, but because he had truly never seen such a beautiful woman. Especially since Yu Rumeng had been looking particularly radiant lately, having been well taken care of, she was more alluring than ever. That fleeting glimpse just now had nearly stolen Huo Lun's soul clean out of his body.
Still, Huo Lun was no fool. As a low-grade Demon King, he had seen enough of the world to know that this stunningly beautiful woman had to be someone of extraordinary status — otherwise she could never have carried herself with such regal elegance. And last time, even the Master of the Snow Demons had shown up here. So despite his shock at Yu Rumeng's beauty, he didn't dare act out. Instead, he lowered his head and cupped his fists. "This humble one is Huo Lun. Greetings, my lord. May I ask your lordship's name?"
He couldn't perceive her cultivation, which told him her strength was far beyond his own. The title "my lord" was entirely appropriate.
Yu Rumeng didn't respond. She merely released a sliver of her Demon Saint aura.
Huo Lun collapsed to his knees with a thud, pressing his forehead to the ground. "This humble one greets Saint Venerable Rumeng! May the Saint Venerable's beauty never fade, and her youth remain eternal!" Inwardly, he was wailing with relief — thank heavens he hadn't been rash just now, or he'd be dead already. Last time the Master of the Snow Demons had come, and now the Master of the Charm Demons had shown up. What kind of godforsaken place was this, that it drew so many great figures?
Yu Rumeng raised an eyebrow in faint surprise and glanced back at him — not because his words had amused her, but because he had actually recognized who she was. Tilting her head, she asked, "Have you seen me before?"
"I have never had the honor," Huo Lun replied meekly.
"Then how did you know who I am?" Yu Rumeng's curiosity grew.
Huo Lun answered honestly, "Among the Twelve Demon Saints of the Demon Domain, only three are women. I saw the Master of the Snow Demons last time. As for the Master of the Feather Demons, though I have never met her, the Feather Demon race's characteristics are unmistakably obvious. You are clearly not of Feather Demon origin, so… this humble one naturally deduced your identity."
Yu Rumeng understood. So he had seen Bei Li Mo — no wonder he could recognize her. A faint smile played on her lips. "You have quite the clever mind."
"The Saint Venerable is too kind."
"Rise and speak freely." Yu Rumeng raised her hand.
Huo Lun hesitated for a moment, then obediently stood — but he didn't dare look at Yu Rumeng, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on his own toes. The Master of the Charm Demons was not someone you could just glance at casually. No wonder he had nearly lost his soul. If he had stared any longer, his spirit might have actually left his body.
"You mentioned you've seen Bei Li Mo? When was this?" Yu Rumeng asked casually while surveying the magnificent spectacle in the distance.
"Not long ago," Huo Lun replied honestly. "About half a month prior."
Doing the math, that would have been before Yang Kai returned to the Charm Spirit Continent — the timing lined up with the devouring of the Tianwu Continent. Yu Rumeng instantly realized that when Yang Kai had devoured the Tianwu Continent, he must have pulled Bei Li Mo inside as well.
She gritted her teeth inwardly. Yang Kai had kept this secret from her — she had found out even later than Bei Li Mo had. She would definitely settle that score with him later.
"How long have you been here?" Yu Rumeng asked.
"Over a year."
Yu Rumeng paused at that. Over a year — that meant around the time of the Battle of the Void Heavens! Recalling what Yang Kai had told her before, she asked out of curiosity, "What did this place look like when you first arrived?"
The question was much the same as what Chang Tian and Bei Li Mo had asked him back then, so Huo Lun naturally held nothing back…
Yu Rumeng nodded repeatedly as she listened, and as time wore on — as the Bailing Continent continued to be devoured — she herself could indeed feel the changes in this world.
…
The devouring of the Bailing Continent took more than ten days. In the end, just like the Tianwu Continent before it, the entire continent had been reduced to nothing but chaotic void.
Yang Kai retrieved the Mysterious World Pearl and released Yu Rumeng from the Small World within. Then he turned to Bei Li Mo with a cheerful smile, his meaning perfectly clear.
Chang Tian was watching her as well.
With the Bailing Continent devoured, Chang Tian had no path of retreat left. There was no way he would let Bei Li Mo walk away unscathed.
Bei Li Mo clearly understood this too. Without wasting a single word, she spun around and said, "Let's go."
The group of four exited the realm gate and set off toward the Aoxue Continent.
Along the way, Yu Rumeng parted from them and returned to the Charm Spirit Continent to make preparations. What Yang Kai intended to do next would inevitably set off a massive upheaval across the entire Demon Domain. Without advance arrangements, it could very well trigger unforeseeable consequences.
At the very least, the half-saints under her command had to be properly stationed, and all the half-saints deployed on the Two-World Battlefield had to be recalled. Bei Li Mo would need to do the same on her end.